Random Article

St Peters Church in Llanbedr is where you can find, behind the rear pew, an ancient engraved stone that stands two foot nine inches in height and two foot wide. The engraving is that of a seven turn spiral measuring twelve inches in diameter. It is said to be similar to those associated with the Irish Boyne culture. Read More »

Tomen-y-Mur (translated as ‘Mound in the Walls’) was originally an ancient Roman fort on the slope of Mynydd Maentwrog to the north east of Llyn Trawsfynyedd, with access from A470 although it is not signposted. Read More »

The Dream of Maxen Wledig is one of the Medieval Welsh tales translated by Lady Charlotte Guest, which were published collectively as the Mabinogion in 1849. The story is rooted in a mythic interpretation of the twilight of Roman era in Britain. Read More »

Much of the Mabinogion saga is based in the Ardudwy region of North Wales. It was from the ‘Castle Rock’ or ‘Rock of Harlech’ (where Harlech Castle now stands) that the Welsh King Bendigeidfran first saw the Irish longboats of Matholwch loom into view with their shields turned upside down as a sign of peace. Read More »

The earliest origins of this story are obscure, but it first appears in the twelfth century, when Geoffrey of Monmouth included it in his History of the Kings of Britain. Monmouth's version was the basis for what is perhaps the best-known version, which appears in 'The Mabinogion', the collection of old Welsh stories compiled by Lady Charlotte Guest in the late 19th century.Read More »

On the edge of the Carneddau range of mountains in Snowdonia lays the deepest lake in North Wales, Llyn Cowlyd. The lake has been dammed so it is unnaturally deep, but it has given soundings of 229 feet, and has a mean depth of 109 feet. The lake is almost 2 miles long, and a third of a mile wide, with the adjacent hills dropping steeply to the lakes edges. Read More »

WHEN the seven men of whom we spoke above had buried the head of Bendigeid Vran, in the White Mount an London, with its face towards France; Manawyddan gazed upon the town of London, and upon his companions, and heaved a great sigh; and much grief and heaviness came upon him. Read More »

The story of Pwyll is found in the Mabinogion, a collection of old Welsh stories translated by Lady Charlotte Guest, and published in 1849. It describes how Pwyll the Lord of Dyfed meets the underworld king Arawn and how the two become close allies. Read More »

This is the remains of a Roman auxiliary fort, one of the largest, and last to be abandoned by the Romans in North Wales. It was built by Gnaeus Julius Agricola in around 77 AD after his victory over the native tribe, the Ordovices. Read More »

St David's Peninsula is supposedly the landing place of Twrch Trwyth, the magical boar told in the story of Culhwch and Olwen in the Mabinogion, King Arthur features heavily in the story. It is also the place where St Patrick is said to have sailed for Ireland to convert them to Christianity. Read More »

This is the version translated by Lady Charlotte Guest, and published in 1849 in the collection of old Welsh tales entitled the Mabinogion. Traditionally Taliesin is placed in the time of Arthur, which is generally believed to be in the 6th century AD. Read More »

Featured Site

Glamis Castle is known as one of the most haunted castles in Britain. It certainly has more stories and legends attached to it than any other castle within the British Isles, perhaps with the exception of Hermitage Castle in the Scottish Borders. Read More »